The Countdown 2011: 96 Days to Go

The Best Kicking Duo in America

One thing that remained constant in the ten years Mark Richt has been coach in Athens in solid performances in the kicking game. Even the worst kicker of the Richt era, Andy Bailey, was on the All-SEC Freshman team before losing his job to Brandon Coutu. This fall will be the senior season for two of the finest kickers in Georgia history, Blair Walsh.

Blair Walsh

Many people questioned the decision to offer Blair Walsh a scholarship when he came to Georgia. Georgia’s two All-SEC performers at kicker during Richt’s tenure were both walk-ons and the previous scholarship kicker (Andy Bailey) lost his job after one season. But Walsh quickly proved he was worth the scholarship, earning Freshman All-SEC marks in 2008. In 2009, he was a finalist for the Lou Groza Award, given to the best kicker in the country. And in 2010, he was named first team All-SEC, making 20 of 23 field goals and leading the SEC in touchbacks.

Drew Butler

Like Walsh, there were questions about whether a punter deserved a scholarship offer even if he was the son of a Georgia legend. Butler became the starting punter in 2009 and had a banner year. He earned First Team All-American honors, lead the country in punting by over two yards, and won the Ray Guy award. In 2010, he was once again a finalist for the award. He is the most successful punter in Georgia history.

Victories of the Moral Variety

Most of us Dawg fans are beginning to grasp at something, anything to restore meaning to the rest of the 2010 football season. I'm a little down after these first couple of games, but remember, all of us have been looking forward to football for 9 months. Let's try to embrace it and our Bulldogs as much as we can.

Or is it?

It's hard to say that we're playing for pride when we came out flat and lost to an inferior (talent-wise) Mississippi State football club, especially when our Dawgs appear to have all but forgotten how to "Finish The Drill".

In an attempt to somehow overlook our 0-3 SEC start and our 1-3 record, here are 4 moral victories so far to takeaway for the season; while they obviously don't show up in the polls, maybe you can take a little bit of solace in them for our near future.

1) Aaron Murray - The preseason buzz was whether this newcomer to the returning 10 offensive starters would somehow slow down our attack; so far, Aaron is more than carrying his fair share of the offense. Aaron currently ranks 4th in the SEC in passing yards/game as well as in total offense; his passing efficiency is a solid 6th in the SEC, especially accounting for him being the only underclassmen on the list.

The excess play-action calls notwithstanding, Aaron could develop into an even deadlier quarterback over the rest of the season if the playbook is thrown open and more shotgun snaps are taken, giving Aaron a longer time to assess the coverage and routes. Then there's also that All-American wide receiver coming back from suspension...


2) Kris Durham/Blair Walsh - I think we could all agree that there have been several small positive surprises from our roster this year, among them Durham and Walsh.

Kris Durham is one of several remaining 2006 signees left on our roster; after battling through a shoulder injury and a resulting redshirt season last year, Kris currently ranks 3rd in the SEC in reception yards/game and 8th in receptions/game. All this while Durham is known as the go-to receiver for Georgia during AJ's suspension, with opponents focusing on him more; Durham has 17 out of the team's to-date 66 receptions for the season, having almost twice as the 2nd leading receiver on the team (Tavarres, with 9). With AJ returning, Durham and our passing attack could flourish further, with Kris fighting less double teams from our opponents' secondary.

Blair, a 2009 Lou Groza award finalist, has proven to be the only true consistency so far this year. Blair currently ranks 8th in overall scoring in the SEC with 31 points, and is a perfect 7-7 on FGs this year, with a long of 52 yards. While we have given up some bad kickoff returns so far this season, the statistics prove otherwise, with UGA ranking 12th in the nation in fewest yards per return given up (@17.47 yards/return), helped in part by 25% of our kickoffs (5/20) being downed for touchbacks. I hope that we can convert more of these FGs into touchdowns in the near-future, but it's always good to have almost guaranteed points at the end of a scoring drive.


3) Potential NFL lockout?- Beyond the above two, it becomes tough without listing obvious future moral victories (AJ returning!) or minuscule ones from this season. This is part 1 of my forward look to possible impacts on next year.

Out of the 29 listed juniors and 17 redshirt sophomores on our roster, the big names to circle for the spring's draft would be AJ, Justin Houston, and Ben Jones, with possibly Cornelius Washington and Brandon Boykin also in the mix. There always might be another surprise name popping up at some point due to the swirling uncertainty with the NFL's Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiations.

As long as there's no CBA, any players who are taken in the 2011 Draft cannot sign with their drafting teams (especially since one of the major points in any CBA agreement will be instituting a rookie wage scale).

So, if you are a stud draft pick with remaining eligibility, do you:

1) Leave college for the draft in the hopes that the CBA might get signed, leaving your career at risk should some sort of fluke accident happen? Also, if there's no NFL season in 2011 (which is a real possibility, since the owners are reportedly collecting partial TV revenue for the season, whether it gets played or not; this of course is a lawsuit in the making), you would have to shake off some rust to fight 2011 and 2012 picks for a roster spot.

2) Stay in school, play football, get the regular NCAA injury insurance and maintain their draft stock for 2012. Or,

3) Avoid the 2011 draft, keep an eye on the CBA negotiations, and if an agreement is reached, screw up your eligibility to make yourself available for the summer NFL supplemental draft.

This option, which Paul Oliver took in 2007 after he was declared academically ineligible, is only realistic for the more elite, AJ/Justin Houston type prospects, especially since teams would be surrendering future draft picks. And this of course assumes that the players wanting to go in the supplemental draft could figure out a way to kill their fall eligibility (really tough not throwing in a joke here...).

While it would be a small miracle if AJ did return for a senior year, the possibility is definitely out there with the NFL CBA uncertainty.


4) New scheduling approach - While Damon Evans did wonders for the men's basketball program with the hiring of Mark Fox, his football scheduling approach was somewhat questioned, especially last year when we opened on the road against Oklahoma State during the inauguration/setup game of the newly refurbished Boone Pickens Stadium.

While I agree with BulldawgJosh that McGarity's proposed approach is a bit of a buzzkill and will hurt UGA's coast-to-coast public exposure, there is something to be said for Florida's results (3 MNCs) in the 18 years that they have not held an OOC game outside the state of Florida.

The alumni buzz for next weekend's Colorado has been more than palpable (I can only imagine a sold-out, 3,000 ticket UGA tailgate in Boulder with a waiting list), and I'm sure the buzz will be even more overwhelming for the 2013 Clemson game and especially the 2015 Oregon game in Eugene.

Although there is definitely merit in Nick Saban's approach to scheduling marquee games in recruiting hotbeds, I think that approach is more appropriate for outsiders-looking-in (ala Boise State, and the early years of Bowden/Florida State) and for state schools with recruiting areas less rich than Georgia.

For the OOC games UGA does pursue in the future, hopefully it will target recruiting-rich areas for games, approaching schools in California and Texas, as well as large media markets that will further expose UGA nationally (ie Rutgers).


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It's tough trying to put lipstick on a pig. But I do think there are some things to continue to look forward to this year, especially the treat of seeing Murray blossom as a QB and the continued evolution of Todd Grantham's defense, which actually ranks 5th in the SEC in total defense.

For the rest of the season, I want to see the Dawgs playing with more fire and passion, living up to those words on the back of their off-season workout shirts. I want to see Grantham's energy on the sideline, which I suspect has been bottled up by some of the higher-ups. And as a suggestion to Mike Bobo, I think he needs to move back up to the box for play-calling, since he's definitely not seeing what everyone else is.

In a Bad Season, Kickers Always Seem to Shine

Last night, Georgia punter Drew Butler won the Ray Guy Award given annually to the nation's best punter. His teammate, Blair Walsh, was also a finalist for the Lou Groza Award, given to the nation's best placekicker. Drew Butler certainly deserved this award, leading the nation with a 48.8 yards per punt average. Walsh made 19 of 21 field goals, including 10 of 11 from 40+ yards. While both had amazing seasons, this is the first time in recent memory that Georgia kickers have been recognized for their work. My question is, why does it seem to take a bad season to recognize the importance of these players to their team?

Georgia has a great tradition of kickers under coach Mark Richt. Our punters have traditionally ranked near the top of the SEC in yards per kick. Jonathan Kilgo, Gordon Ely-Kelso, and Brian Mimbs all enjoyed stellar careers for the Dawgs during times when the Dawgs were consistently ranked in the top ten in the country. The same goes for the kickers. Brandon Coutu consistently made long field goals look easy and was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks. Before Coutu, Billy Bennett was setting SEC records on his way to becoming the second leading scorer in NCAA history.

But up until Butler's win last night, a Georgia kicker had never been recognized nationally with an award. The winner of the Groza last night, Kai Forbath of UCLA, also played for a team that struggled this year. It seems the media is quick to recognize offensive players for their individual efforts, but when it comes to kickers, they need their team to be bad to give them an extra push.

Congratulations Drew Butler on a fantastic season! You certainly have done the Butler family name proud.

The Countdown 2009: 95 Days to Go

95

Points scored by kicker Blair Walsh during his freshman season in 2008. Walsh was 15-23 on field goals and 50-50 on extra points.

10 Things I Like About the Dawgs in 2009

Mackalicious over at Blogging Pantsless has posted his 10 expectations for 2009. Well, here is my list of reasons to be excited about the Georgia Bulldogs in 2009:

#10 - The Schedule Looks Better on Paper

- I know, the schedule looks almost as tough 2008 beginning with the first game of the season on the road in Stillwater. Some people are very scared of this game, but watching Ole Miss put the Texas Tech offense in its place in the Cotton Bowl makes me feel better about the Dawgs chances against the Cowboys. This season, Georgia played four of its final five games on the road, including a stretch of four road games in four weeks at LSU, Florida (Jacksonville), Kentucky, and Auburn. Next year, our road schedule is much more manageable and we get three of the final four games at home. The 2009 version of the tough mid-season road trip includes bouts at Tennessee and Vanderbilt. Perhaps the most important change to the 2009 schedule is the return of an invaluable bye week prior to the annual road-trip to celebrate the repeal of prohibition when the Dawgs face the Gators in Jacksonville. Having LSU, Carolina, and Auburn at home next season will be a plus as I expect all of these schools to be better in 2009 than they were in 2008. Granted, these programs couldn’t get much worse than they were in 2008…

#9 – Progression of Blair Walsh

- Walsh got off to a great start in 2008 by nailing a 52-yard field goal against Georgia Southern. The freshman also hit other big kicks during the season, including four field goals against Tennessee, but overall the season was a disappointment. Walsh never quite lived up to the excitement that preceded the first Georgia kicker to be offered a scholarship out of high school since Andy Bailey. Walsh’s kickoffs, oft landing out of bounds and spotting our opponents incredible field position, are an area where he must improve next season. I look for more consistency out of Walsh both kicking field goals and kicking off. Hopefully the coaches have realized the directional kicking is not working and will let Blair kick it deep in ’09.

#8 – Full Season of AJ Green

- AJ Green had an amazing freshman season in Athens and he was not even a starter when the season began. There is cause for concern that, with the matriculation of Massaquoi, teams will be able to key in on Green. If they do, hopefully receivers like Michael Moore and Kris Durham, who both had great performances in the Capital One Bowl, step up. Green has proven to be a clutch receiver with game winning TDs against Kentucky and Auburn. Look for more of the same from him during his sophomore year in 2009.

#7 – More Passes to Aron White

- During the Mark Richt era, Georgia has produced an amazing list of tight ends that have moved on to the NFL. In 2008, Georgia seemed to abandon to use of the tight end as a major weapon in the offense. I look for that to change in 2009. Aron White only had three catches in 2008, but 2 were for touchdowns and the other was for a huge gain against LSU. While White’s blocking ability may not be great, he has proven he can catch passes and I think he will be a big target for Joe Cox in 2009.

See the 3:10 mark for White's TD vs. Michigan State

#6 – The Quarterback Position

- Joe Cox will begin the year as the starter and, as I wrote previously, I think he will be a great leader. I also think that we will get to see some of Logan Gray and what he can do on the ground. With Aaron Murray and Zach Mettenberger in waiting, the QB position should be fun to watch for at least a few years.

#5 – Defensive Pressure

- A glaring deficiency of the defense in ’08 was their failure to get pressure on opposing quarterbacks and record sacks. We saw glimpses of the future this year in freshman Justin Houston. With another year of experience under his belt there are considerable expectations for him to improve next year. The Dawgs were also able to create a lot of pressure during the bowl game and I hope Willie continues that strategy.

#4 – The Return of Jeff Owens and Marcus Washington

- The loss of Jeff Owens was the most significant injury the Bulldogs suffered during the season last year. With Owens out, teams were able to focus on Geno Atkins and the D tackles were unable to put much pressure on the opposing QBs and running backs. The loss of Marcus Washington before the season may have been just as devastating as the loss of Owens. With Washington starting in the middle during the second half of the 2007 run, Georgia’s defense was solid. Washington is a force in the middle who also happens to be a solid tackler, one of the major issues with Georgia’s D last season.

#3 – Rennie Curran

- Washington’s return to the linebacking corps will provide solid support for Rennie in 2009. The Liberian Nightmare had a great season this year and will only get better with a healthy and improved supporting cast around him. This guy is a human wrecking ball and finished second in the SEC in tackles with 109. Curran will be all over the place and with Washington back, he will not have to make every tackle that gets into the linebacking area. Did I mention he is from my home town of Snellville (nod, nod)?

#2 – A Healthy Offensive Line

- This year, we could not keep our line healthy and we were constantly shifting the line up. Despite the well-publicized personnel challenges, the line did a great job giving Stafford time to throw and opening holes for Knowshon. With Trinton Sturdivant back at left tackle, Cordy Glenn and Ben Jones solidified as sophomores, Vince Vance returning, and Clint Boling in his natural position, the big boys up front should be one of team’s strongest assets. Caleb King and Richard Samuel may be pleasantly surprised with the size of the holes that could open up for them to run through, especially given that in each of the backs’ freshman campaigns they were asked to move the ball through gaps that only Knowshon could maneuver through. In addition, Joe Cox will have plenty of time to make his progressions and find open receivers.

#1 – It is not 2008!!!

- 2008 started with so much anticipation and talk of a national championship that a 10 win season was a huge disappointment. 2009 will paint a much different picture as the Dawgs will open the year around #15 in the polls and will not be considered title contenders. This is a similar situation to what happened in 2005, when DJ Shockley led Georgia to an SEC title. 2009 will be a chance to get back to having fun like the Dawgs did in 2007.

GO DAWGS!!!